FACTORS INFLUENCING PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES OF THE KOREAN RURAL ELDERLY

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing productive activities of the Korean rural elderly. Utilizing data from the 2004 survey "Living Profile and Welfare Service Needs of Older Persons in Korea," this study predicted the productive activities of the rural elderly. All of the ten predicting variables selected from the survey and literature review (age, gender, education, activity limitation, personal income, health, organization, family status, socio-economic status, and job) were found to have significant partial effects on such productive activities as paid work, care-giving and volunteer work. The following are major conclusions: The rural elderly women had more care-giving, whereas men had more volunteer work. Participation in religious or social organizations was a good predictor for participation in a volunteer work. Single-family status was a negative factor for care-giving. Being a farmer or not could explain the paid working time most effectively. The rural elderly with a relatively high socio-economic status have more inclination to participate in a volunteer work. Aging reduces the possibility of sharing the experiences of paid work or care-giving. Activity limitation had a negative partial effect on care-giving. Good health was the only valuable predictor for all kinds of productive activities. Personal income was positively related with paid work and care-giving. The highly educated were more likely to do unpaid productive work.

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing productive activities of the Korean rural elderly. Utilizing data from the 2004 survey "Living Profile and Welfare Service Needs of Older Persons in Korea," this study predicted the productive activities of the rural elderly. All of the ten predicting variables selected from the survey and literature review (age, gender, education, activity limitation, personal income, health, organization, family status, socio-economic status, and job) were found to have significant partial effects on such productive activities as paid work, care-giving and volunteer work. The following are major conclusions: The rural elderly women had more care-giving, whereas men had more volunteer work. Participation in religious or social organizations was a good predictor for participation in a volunteer work. Single-family status was a negative factor for care-giving. Being a farmer or not could explain the paid working time most effectively. The rural elderly with a relatively high socio-economic status have more inclination to participate in a volunteer work. Aging reduces the possibility of sharing the experiences of paid work or care-giving. Activity limitation had a negative partial effect on care-giving. Good health was the only valuable predictor for all kinds of productive activities. Personal income was positively related with paid work and care-giving. The highly educated were more likely to do unpaid productive work.